Chaos Theory
by Mysteria
Summary: Post-Lockdown. Season Nine spoilers. Abby thinks, Carter rambles and Luka rationalizes.
1. Chapter 1

Chaos Theory

Spoilers: season nine premiere, 'Chaos Theory' vaguely used.

Timeline: Post-Lockdown, 7 days afterwards

Pairings: Abby/Carter

Genre: General/Angst

Archive: Go for it. Just let me know where.

Summary: Post Lockdown. Abby thinks. Carter rambles. Luka rationalizes. 

I don't really know where this short came from. It's not fully Carby, though it's not really Luby, it's something. AbLuCar maybe. I dunno. Abby angst?

I'm too lazy to get someone to beta so sorry in advance for any mistakes.

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"... and you don't know if it's a butterfly, well some flying thing like that or a tornado..."

Abby rolled her eyes. Carter had been rambling about what the chaos theory was for awhile now, she kept tuning out as he was just going in circles and making no sense. The lockdown had ended and they'd finally been released from that hot horrid little trauma room and into the even hotter night. Seven days in a room with Carter hadn't been as much fun as she'd figured. The heat, the crappy hospital food that would be slipped in every so often, it all sucked. Sure, there were the good moments, like finally after so long taking the relationship to another level, course it really couldn't go to far in that room, but still, and the point where'd they'd temporarily lost their minds and were making little hand puppets on the wall was rather amusing. She let out a soft giggle while thinking this. Carter made a face.

"What?" He questioned.

"Oh nothing. Sorry." She mumbled in response.

"Right... where was I? Oh yeah... the chaos theory..." He continued his rambling and again Abby tuned out not hearing a word of it and went back to thinking about the events of the past seven days, or more so the events that happened in the past hour.

Malik had leaned into the trauma room and said exactly what they'd been hoping, the lockdown was over. They could finally leave. They were no more then two feet out the trauma room doors when Kerry walked over, looking very agitated. Abby hadn't paid much attention to her but could vaguely remember her saying she could go home for the evening, but Carter was to be back within two hours and then him trying to argue the demand but losing the battle. She had begun to look around, for a place that had been abandoned for nearly two whole days it sure had been trashed, trauma beds were everywhere, though not bedding any patients, one was overturned by the doors, she smirked remembering how some patients tried to escape the hospital when it all began. Supplies and charts laid around in piles, she was surprised that Kerry hadn't ripped anyone a new head for it, Romano too for that matter, she glanced around, surprised that he wasn't already down in the ER.

"Abby?"

"Hmm?" She hummed as Carter broke through her thoughts.

"Are you listening to me?" He questioned. She smiled.

"Yeah, you talking bout the chaos theory." She responded, hoping he wouldn't want more to be said. He smiled.

"Right, now like I was saying it could be a tornado..." Abby bit back a groan as he went on with his senseless ramble. Shaking her head she went back to her thoughts.

She'd looked around and for the first time noticed Chuny and Lynda making an attempt to clean up the mess around admit while Frank and Jerry were arguing about something to do with the phones, or the radio transmitter, she couldn't figure out which, they weren't making much sense. That's when Jing Mei came from the direction of the exam rooms yelling at Pratt that she was fine, the fever was gone and he could go to hell but he followed her anyway trying say she wasn't fine and the two argued all the way until they were out of the hospital and she was willing to bet that Chen would go to Doc's Magoo's to get some food and he'd follow, they be arguing for awhile to come. She let out a snort.

"Abby, I know the heat is making you act funny but geez, just because I mispronounce a word doesn't mean you have to laugh at me." Carter whined. Abby's eyes widen and she had to stifle a giggle.

"I'm sorry. You were saying?" She asked.

"That if it's a butterfly, it's..." Abby rolled her eyes once more a kicked a little stone with her shoe as they walked. She smiled as a light breeze blew, it was still hot, but yet a little cooler as they approached the lake nearby. Once again she got lost in her thoughts.

She'd wandered over to the waiting area, there were a couple of people waiting but other then that the chairs were empty with the exception of med student, Michael Gallant, he'd propped his legs up and was dosing off in the hard plastic chair he'd dropped his obviously tired body in. She'd shook her head and walked on back towards admit, noticing Susan leaning heavily against the admit desk looking worn and tired. She'd smirked as the blonde women slowly started it dose off in the standing position, only to be brought back to reality by Jerry and Frank arguing. Once again as she'd been wandering around Carter had started to argue his coming back with Kerry again. She'd let out a soft laugh and walked around the admit desk to finally spot Luka. He'd been sitting on the floor by the doors, behind a supply rank, head in hands. She had frowned wondering what happened, he looked miserable and she contemplated going over and talking to him but didn't get the chance as suddenly the conversation Carter and Kerry were having was answering her thoughts. Something had happened to Romano. His arm. Luka had something to do with or so Romano had said at some point. She couldn't hear the details, and quite frankly from the look on Kerry's face she knew not to ask. Carter had frowned and turned, motioning to her to follow him, they passed Luka on the way out, Carter had stopped and looked at him funny but then continued out the door calling her to follow. Luka had looked up at them at this point.

Abby shook her head with a sigh. At some point her and Carter had stopped walking and were now by the lake, She sighed again, at that point she wished there'd been a wall or rail there, she could have used something to lean on, cause the look that had been on Luka's face still haunted her from earlier, it was the oddest look, not fear, not anger, something else, something she couldn't read, and that worried her, she wish she knew the details of what happened. She sighed again.

"I'm hot." She whined. Carter smirked.

"Yeah, you are." He agreed.

"Not like that." She corrected. "Wait. I am? Hmm..." Carter laughed in return. She glanced at the water again. Her fingers dropped to the hem of her shirt. She slowly yanked the sweat covered shirt off, smiling at finally having taken it off. Carter raised an eyebrow, slightly confused.

"Abby..." He trailed off because she jumped into the lake. "Ah. So it is a tornado." He murmured to himself.

"Carter, come in the water." Abby called over to him.

"No." He answered.

"Oh c'mon. It'll be fun." She pressed.

"No, unlike _you_ I've gotta get back to the hospital. No swimming in dirty water for me." He quipped.

"It's not dirty." She argued.

"I'm leaving... have fun in your sewage." He called. She rolled her eyes and swam back over to the edge of the lake and got out, shivering slightly from the breeze. She walked back over to where she'd dropped her shirt, surprised it was there and pulled it back on. She sighed and slid down a wall nearby that she hadn't noticed before, into a sitting position, feeling tired and worn from the day's, the week's events. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

"Abby?" A very familiar male voiced questioned a few minutes later. She groaned and opened her eyes.

"Luka. Uh... hi." She replied while trying to stand. He made a face.

"Your all wet." He stated. She blushed.

"Uh yeah... I jumped in the lake." She mumbled.

"Why?" He said while crinkling his nose up.

"Was hot... it seemed like a good idea at the time." She paused making a face at the smell coming off her. "He was right, that is dirty water." She muttered. Luka smirked.

"Who... Carter?"

"Yeah." She breathed.

"Where is he?" He questioned.

"Oh, Weaver wanted him back on the hospital." She responded. _Should I?_ She thought. "So, how was the lockdown for you?" She questioned. 

"Hell." He said tiredly. "I rather not talk about it."

"Because of Romano?" She questioned. She cringed as the look that came over Luka's face was one that usually comes when you get slapped. _I knew I shouldn't have... stupid Abby, stupid Abby,_ she cursed herself. "Well I heard something happened to him. And he blamed you."

"Oh."

"Wanna talk about it?" She offered.

"No."

"Ok." The two remained silent for a while.

"So how was the lockdown for you?" He questioned.

"Hell." She answered, and more quickly then she should have.

"Really?"

"Yeah." She breathed and the two went back to being silent.

"So... you and Carter finally got together?" He questioned with an odd look.

"Yeah. I guess." She mumbled.

"Your not sure if you want this?"

"Something like that. I mean if this goes bad it'll ruin the friendship." She responded.

"We went out. Were still friends." He pointed out. She smiled.

"Yeah. We are." She paused. "I spent seven days with the man and enjoyed barely any of it, should that say something?" Luka snickered slightly.

"Yeah... your not good company when you haven't showered." He replied making a face a at her.

"Hey! That's not funny. And I'm serious." She responded with a half smile now knowing full well she really shouldn't have jumped in the river.

"Ok. You guys got out of there. You talked about it right?" He asked. She frowned.

"No."

"Did you talk?"

"Yeah."

"Bout what?"

"The chaos theory." She responded, starting to put her thoughts together. "Butterflies and tornados." Luka made a face and shook his head.

"I'm not going to pretend that made sense..." He trailed off.

"It did. Sorta. Maybe. I don't know. I didn't listen." She rambled.

"What are you?" He questioned.

"Huh?"

"You and Carter. A butterfly or a tornado?" Abby remained quiet for a bit before I finally whispering an answer.

"A tornado."

"Well then, what does that tell you about the relationship?" Luka queried. Abby didn't respond. "I have to go. Goodnight Abby." He started to walk off. She stared after him, thoughtful.

"That I need to be a butterfly again." She whispered to no one.


	2. Discontinued

So, after 4 months of not updating I decided I am going to not bother. I'm not sure where the story where going and the way the show is now doesn't help. Any of chances of liking Luby again are shot. And they've made me dislike Carby one too many times, so it's hard to choose a direction with the story when I hate both couples romantically. *sigh*

Plus, quite frankly the story lost it's quality when I bothered to continue it.

And I seriously doubt anyone remembers it anyway, so no one will miss chapters 2 and 3 that I'm going to take down shortly. Feel free to comment on the original story though. :)


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